Matcha v. Coffee
by Riley Holcomb
photography courtesy of Pexels
For years, there has been an ongoing debate between coffee and tea drinkers. Both types of people assume their beverage of choice is the greatest for countless reasons: coffee gives you energy, tea is healthier for you, and on and on. Recently, matcha has taken the world by storm and is now becoming the most popular ingredient in every cafe.
Matcha is a finely ground powder made of green tea leaves and is usually combined with water or milk to give it the perfect creamy consistency. It can be served hot or cold depending on the individual’s preference. This tea is also used in many Japanese tea ceremonies and is given the nickname “ceremonial-grade matcha” as it is believed to be of the highest quality.
Coffee shops such as Starbucks, Pavement and many others have begun to sell matcha in their restaurants as it has been attracting more and more customers due to it’s delicious and caffeinated effects. There are now frappuccinos, lattes and hot teas all made with this matcha powder.
Some have argued that this new drink is becoming more popular and preferred over coffee. Studies show that matcha is healthier due to the fact that it is linked to many benefits such as preventing heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer.
However, some would rather drink this green beverage solely based off of its pure and light taste, despite all of the health benefits that it is comprised of.
“It tastes earthy and kind of sweet at the same time,” said Ashton Ebersole (COM ‘22). “My favorite part about drinking it is the color. It’s so pretty!”
Even with all of the growing excitement matcha tea brings, many people are still sticking to their coffee-drinking roots, claiming that it is in fact better tasting and healthier than the green powder.
Coffee is one of the most popular drinks around the world. No matter where you look, it seems as though it is on every menu at every restaurant, cafe or bakery. It is a drink with the power to bring two people together. It is the drink that begins the morning. It is the drink that keeps people energized through the post-lunch lull.
Some sources even have found that coffee has health benefits, such as lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, type 2 diabetes and depression. It also aids in protection against Parkinson’s disease and even helps with post-workout muscle pain.
Not only are there great benefits to this staple beverage, but it is also the taste and the energy that it provides, which is the reason why coffee addiction is of great renown.
“I probably have at least two cups of coffee a day, sometimes three or four depending on how many classes I have,” said Shaina Schnog (COM ‘22). “It tastes so good that I always want more but if I did that, I would actually be bouncing off the walls.”
Like Schnog, many drink coffee for the purpose of feeling more awake throughout a long, tiring day. In an average eight-ounce cup, there is about 95 mg of caffeine—almost fifteen milligrams more than in a can of RedBull. What most coffee connoisseurs do not know, however, is that a cup of matcha green tea contains about half the caffeine, but gives a more energizing and longer-lasting buzz instead of the usual coffee jitters.
In general, matcha and coffee have some similarities and differences, but it all comes down to the flavor and taste that the person is craving. No matter the drink, it will be the perfect way to start the morning, get through a boring lecture or even sip on the way back to the dorms after a long, productive day.